Stanisław Skrowaczewski RIP

[jserraglio]

From the MSO FaceBook page.

It is with aching hearts that we share the news that Maestro Stanisław Skrowaczewski, who suffered a second stroke earlier this month, died earlier today. He was 93.

It is hard to express all that Maestro Skrowaczewski has meant to the Minnesota Orchestra. He served as music director for 19 seasons, from 1960 to 1979, equaling our founding Music Director Emil Oberhoffer for the longest tenure in that position. He returned each season since then as our conductor laureate. Although he traveled the world conducting major orchestras until just last year, he continued to make Minnesota his home across the decades. He was a champion of new music, an extraordinary interpreter of Bruckner, a celebrated composer, an advocate for musicians during the lockout—and the major force behind the creation of Orchestra Hall in 1974. In total, his partnership with the Minnesota Orchestra spanned 56 years, and we are deeply grateful for more than a half-century of music-making with him.

A memorial service to celebrate his legacy will be held on Tuesday, March 28 at Orchestra Hall, with more details to follow. We offer our deepest condolences to his family.

news story: http://www.startribune.com/stanislaw-sk ... 4391273/#1

[Beckmesser]

I grew up in Minnesota during the 1950s-1960s and I remember Skrowaczewski. He sometimes brought the orchestra (it was called the Minneapolis Symphony in those days) to my hometown. I also lived in Minneapolis for a couple of years and attended many concerts there. I don't recall anything about the performances but I remember he cut a dashing figure on the podium with his very precise gestures. I had no idea his tenure was that long.

[maestrob]

Skrowaczewski made many recordings on budget labels but he was a first-rank interpreter of not only Bruckner, but of anything else he put his mind to. One of my favorite CD sets is his complete Ravel orchestral works with Minnesota on Vox, beautifully recorded and originally released on DBX LPs (remember those?).

He will be missed.

[jserraglio]

recent interview re: Bruckner
http://www.gso.se/en/gsoplay/video/skro ... -intervju/

[Lance]

I have a number of recordings of Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, especially in collaborations. OEHMS has issued a big box set of all the Beethoven 9, Brahms 4, Schumann 4 and Bruckner symphonies, etc. For some reason, I am not inclined to go for this one. Some of his Mercury recordings were excellent. and those wherein he was a collaborative conductor with some great artists (Rubinstein, Janis, Bachauer, Starker, etc.) are outstanding. But I'm not sure where Skrowaczewski fits in as one of the really great conductors of current times. In looking at his discography, there is no "encore" or short-type pieces (maybe except for his complete Ravel orchestral music on Vox). In Minneapolis, he was held in very high esteem. Any ideas on his status from your point of view?

[david johnson]

Skrowaczewski made many recordings on budget labels but he was a first-rank interpreter of not only Bruckner, but of anything else he put his mind to. One of my favorite CD sets is his complete Ravel orchestral works with Minnesota on Vox, beautifully recorded and originally released on DBX LPs (remember those?).

He will be missed.

I still have those LPs.

[SONNET CLV]

Upon hearing of Maestro Skrowaczewski's death, I went to my music shelves to find something by the man. Quite accidentally I noticed I had the large 28CD box set from OEHMS, unopened. I had forgotten I'd purchased this some months earlier. And so it was the perfect tribute for the conductor/composer. Yes, composer. For it was to the final disc in the box that I turned first: Skrowaczewski the Composer, featuring three works by the master himself: "Music at Night" for Orchestra, "Fantasie for Flute & Orchestra", a concerto-like work, and his Symphony (2003). All of the works were splendid, somewhat darkish and moderny. I repeated the disc a couple of times before turning towards some Bruckner and Berlioz. The box set kept my disc player spinning for several days. And I was glad to have purchased this set of discs, titled "90th birthday collection." Too bad there won't be any further birthdays for Maestro Skrowaczewski. But I daresay his music making shall live on.

[lennygoran]

Upon hearing of Maestro Skrowaczewski's death, I went to my music shelves to find something by the man.

Hadn't heard of him-I see his symphony is on youtube. Regards, Len

[R Gifford]

Skrowaczewski's Shostakovich Fifth (With Minnesota on Mercury) is one of the best. The 3CDset of Bartok on Vox is outstanding.

[maestrob]

Skrowaczewski's Shostakovich Fifth (With Minnesota on Mercury) is one of the best. The 3CDset of Bartok on Vox is outstanding.

I have the Bartok and agree with you.